Thang Nguyen 555

Cultures on Collision Course

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With some short-term relief work in Asia/Africa and long stint in Telecom, Thang also earned a B.A. at Pennsylvania State University. M.A. in Communication at Wheaton Graduate School, M.A. in Cross-Cultural Communication at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, Boston. In addition, he earned a CELTA – classes taken in Hanoi for cultural re-immersion.

Author: Thang Nguyen 555

  • Play element

    We seem to have lost touch with the play aspect in life and work. I am thinking of John Lennon and Steve Jobs at the moment. Both pursued their passion, and both were dead. One married interracially, the other just loved all things simple (even foods). They were famous, and still are, although they could not…

  • Redemptive rain

    Our own Duc Huy, along with Dylan, during the 80’s, sang about “the hope of redemption” and how “the heart found joy once again”. The 80’s was the time of culture war: right vs left, straight vs gay, East vs West, secular vs conservative. Thirty years on, we are faced with a different set of…

  • My left eye

    A speck of dust hit my left eye. It’s all red and feels painful. Then I thought of my friend from Junior High. He was drafted and went to war. Just to come back with one eye left. We have hung out at cafe, more than any other classmate since that time. Just a few nights…

  • Recognize the face

    Machine is getting smarter (facial recognition). In “It might be you” Stephen Bishop sings about “if I found the  place, would I recognize the face“. The face he has waited for all of his life. Babies could hear before birth (the logic behind classical music during pregnancy). Then psychologists theorize about us looking for that first trusted…

  • Celebrating Love in Saigon

    Consumer confidence is up. Spending is up. Cards, chocolate and crocodile (over beer). I thought it must be Christmas or Tet all over again. Hunting down a ticket for A House in the Alley took me to two theaters, with the only available seats at 11:20PM. Way pass my bedtime. Oh well, I tried. Supporting Vietnamese…

  • Wonderful Valentine

    “And then she asks me, do I feel alright?” Wonderful tonight. We are all conceived out of love. Love without reservation, or hesitation. 90% perspiration, 10% inspiration. But we are all here, celebrating Saint Valentine and Goddess of Fertility. Chocolate and flowers. Kisses and hugs. Wonderful tonight. “I give her the car keys…I feel wonderful…

  • Living in horror shop

    This Valentine Day, Vietnam dating scene will be scary! That is, if they picked  “House in the Alley” for a date movie. Dan rented a house in District 3, and during the course of trying to find the right film treatment, discovered something about the house in the alley which he had rented (French villa).…

  • Something in the way.. of Vietnam

    I just viewed a clip about Vietnam during the 40-50’s (French lady riding and reading the papers on a moving cyclo, newspaper boy wearing beret…). Something in the way, she moves… attract me like no other lover… A North Carolinian I picked up yesterday from the airport (for TESOL course) said “there is something about Vietnam I can’t…

  • First, learn respect!

    After transitioning from a French elementary school to a Vietnamese middle-school, on my first day of school,  I saw “First learn respect, then learn literature”. My brother’s generation at the same school had been from the same mold (his classmates are still staying in touch). No wonder they showed up at my Mom’s funeral in a…

  • Moon Alley

    Last night, when I got back to my alley, I thought they had turned on extra lighting. Turned out I did not notice that it was full moon. No wonder people were going to the Temple, buying and selling fake dollars for the dead. It was supposed to be the second important date on the…